By CRAIG E. CAMPBELL
As 2020 comes to a close, and not too soon for me, I am encouraged that a vaccine for the China virus is finally being distributed. President Trump’s Operation Warp Speed is a phenomenal achievement of will and focus that was only possible because of American exceptionalism.
While not everyone may want to be vaccinated, those who do and those who need it due to high risks, age, or underlying health conditions, will happily welcome this ability to become inoculated.
Which brings me to the aerospace industry. The achievements of aviation over the past century are incredible. From hot air balloons; to piston powered planes; to the 1950’s gilded era of commercial aviation; to the magnificent flying machines of the 21st Century; humanity has enthusiastically pursued flight.
Now, albeit set back a bit by the China virus, commercial aviation has opened up the world to travel and is as commonplace to most as riding a bus or train used to be.
The 21st Century will be the century of space. It will take its place in history as the time when humanity establishes settlements on the Moon and Mars, mines asteroids for precious metals, and explores beyond our galaxy to find answers to the existence of the Universe. These are exciting times for galaxy explorers.
Throughout the 1960’s the United States dominated space exploration, surpassing Russian Yuri Gagarin’s historic feat of being the first human to fly in space when he orbited the earth on April 12, 1960. I had the honor of visiting the Russian Cosmonaut Training Center, Star City, outside Moscow and touring the Gagarin Museum. I was astonished at the unsophisticated technology used to accomplish his historic flight. It confirmed to me that if one has the conviction to succeed, they can.
Under the dynamic leadership of President John F. Kennedy, the United States dedicated itself to becoming the premier space nation. So started the Mercury program, led by Alan Shepard’s flight into space on May 5, 1961. Between 1961 and 1963 Project Mercury launched six times, each with a single American astronaut orbiting the earth.
This was followed by the Gemini Project, launching two man crews into orbit ten times between 1963 and 1996. The Apollo Program culminated President Kennedy’s goal of landing on the moon, when Neil Armstrong first stepped onto the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969.
America proved it could energize a nation to become the world leader in space exploration. As of today, the Russians still have not landed a person on the moon.
Following eight years of rudderless Obama Administration leadership at NASA, President Trump reinvigorated the passion for space exploration. Today, NASA is led by a space visionary, Jim Bridenstine.
I know Jim. He was a fighter pilot, Director of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum, and represented Tulsa in the US Congress prior to becoming the NASA Administrator. With Jim at the helm, all things are possible.
He has refocused NASA on returning to the moon and is passionately working with private sector aerospace companies to support exploration flights to Mars. Under Jim’s leadership, NASA is aggressively pursuing the Armetis project, to return a person to the moon in the next few years. And time is of the essence, we must not stumble.
Our prime competitor, China, is rapidly developing a comprehensive space program and already has sent a lunar landing module to the moon to collect samples. In fact, two weeks ago China became only the second nation to place their national flag on the surface of the moon. They have announced their intention of also being the second nation to land a person on the moon by 2036.
Now is no time for the US to withdraw from space exploration. The Chinese space program is our most significant competitor and will determine which nation gains the benefits of outer space.
This is the dawn of private sector space operations in America which will ensure our role both in achieving historic accomplishments, as well as gaining the financial benefits.
SpaceX has demonstrated the capability to reuse launch boosters, resupply the International Space Station (ISS) with cargo, and now has used the Dragon capsule to be the first private company to deliver American astronauts to the ISS. SpaceX is now focused on reaching Mars with the first human landing by 2024.
Think bold and you can accomplish miracles.
SpaceX is not alone. Blue Origin is developing the New Shepard launch system that will deliver astronauts to the moon’s surface using the new Blue Moon lunar lander. As stated by Blue Origin “our road to space opens the door to the infinite and yet unimaginable future.”
Virgin Galactic, Virgin Orbit, Astra, Rocket Lab, and other companies are actively pursuing private sector launch vehicles to place satellites into orbit around the earth.
The exciting part is that the private sector has demonstrated both the ingenuity and financial capabilities to do what historically has been solely within the government domain.
This is exciting for America and great for Alaska. The Alaska Aerospace Corporation operates the state-owned Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska (PSCA) on Kodiak Island. Operating without state general funds, Alaska Aerospace maintains one of the most modern launch complexes in America. With America regaining leadership in space, PSCA has an opportunity to attract an aerospace industry to our state. We must not let this pass.
As we look to diversify our economy, the aerospace industry should be a focused effort. Providing an optimum trajectory to place satellites into highly elliptical, polar orbit, PSCA offers an ideal location to attract the space industry for private sector companies looking to have global coverage of communications, imagery, and navigation.
With the strong military operations in Alaska, we also offer the US government a secluded, efficient, and cost-effective option to provide an alternative launch facility to US Government owned and operated Vandenberg AFB in California and Hawaii’s Barking Sands Pacific Missile Range Facility.
The question that must be asked is whether President-elect Biden has the vision and fortitude of President Kennedy to continue President Trump’s leadership in making America a global leader in space exploration, or will he return us to the Obama days, being content at having Russia and China the global leaders in space, gaining superiority over American innovation, reaping the economic potential, and threatening our national security.
It’s time to make the Last Frontier, America’s Gateway to the Final Frontier.
Craig E. Campbell served on the Anchorage Assembly between 1986 and 1995 and later as Alaska’s Tenth Lieutenant Governor. He was the previous Chief Executive Officer and President for Alaska Aerospace Corporation. He retired from the Alaska National Guard as Lieutenant General (AKNG) and holds the concurrent retired Federal rank of Major General (USAF).
This is a bigger pipe dream than Walker’s gas pipeline. But good luck in trying.
Between DC turning us back into a national park and our own “leaders” destroying the middle class in Alaska, this goes nowhere. Especially in a nation teetering on the edge of recession. Again.
Better to focus on saving what’s left of our middle class by bringing the Assembly and Legislature to heel first.
You had me with you until you brought up the State of Alaska space port investment. The state is also in the marine transportation business, the railroad business, the low income housing business, etc. etc. – losing money in every one. Using a business model the state has spent $150 million so far trying to convert Fairbanks homeowners and businesses to natural gas, and about ten years in has yet to be repaid on the debt let alone receive any investment return. Until Elon Musk or someone like him invests in the Alaska space port I see this as yet another example of government thinking it knows more than entrepreneurs (when overwhelming evidence points the other direction). Like Port McKenzie, the natural gas line, grain terminals, Matanuska Maid, and on and on, government in Alaska has yet to hit one home run, not one. Our only success is in keeping government too large while it pushes out the Alaska private sector. Will we ever learn?
Unlike the examples referenced, PSCA is not state funded. In fact, the private start-up launch company Astra successfully launched today from PSCA. They built a launch pad at PSCA and are an anchor tenant for all future high-inclination launches. These types of private company launches from an Alaskan spaceport that receives no state funding marks the beginning for space-related economic development for Alaska. Diversifying our economy is the only answer to the declining oil flowage/funds.
Lotta sour grapes from the above comments that work to negate American, ingenuity,financial ability and government at the state and federal level victories. What about REA ( govt funds that electrified rural America, the TVA which controlled vast flooding Nd produced power for a hungry nation, the Interstate road system the lifeline of America, the Hoover dam , WPA and who could forget our on magnificent oil pipeline that safely delivers oil over a superbly crafted engineering marvel just as effective today as it was 40 some years ago. Those guys are simply overlook8ng American “know how” and commitment to “getter done” coupling government assistance with homegrown assets to achieve success in a massive, valu returning , better world way.
Its an EXPERIMENTAL vaccine! If Americas Frontline Doctors are correct like they were correct about Hydrochloriquine video that was removed earlier this year. If peoples fear allow them take this EXPERIMENTAL vaccine, your going to die or get very sick, or good chance your children or yourself will never have children. But, I will have to wait and see if 2021 proves worse than 2020.
If interested watching video, go to youtube search Bevelyn Beatty Americas Frontline Doctors video before it is removed if its removed. If these doctors right and those that got this experimental vaccine, then the consequence are on those who took this experimental vaccine.
all of your warnings are true: sterilization of our kids, death of the weakest among us, deformities in our offspring, common disease that will become incurable. I have read things in my own research about how dangerous is that vaccine and the needle (look up Luciferase) is going to leave an invisible mark that can only be seen under special light. Not to mention that there is rumor of nana technology in that vaccine that will allow the gov to track whoever has it injected into them.
Getting AK into the space business is enticing but probably space pie-in-the-sky. The ill conceived missile interception deception was a high budget project everywhere except AK, where it looks like a failed Sen. Ted project. The military is here to stay for the time being, but they aren’t going into space any time soon.
Kubota2 is spot on about failed projects, but I disagree about its only success being keeping government large. That’s the result of 20 years of Republican rule, looking for the next score but not looking at how to build the state into a nationwide competitor, and that’s not success. Until we get over the idea that there is another oil field out there that will save us, and finally settle down into doing the hard work of building a solid future for the state, we’re destined to live through this repetitive, motherlode fueled nightmare over and over again.
About time. You guys should have been doing this 20 years ago. Unfortunately, you had a different business model in mind, sucking up to DoD rather than commercial space. You’re much like commfish after the decision to ban all fish farming – too little and too late. But thanks for playing. Cheers –
“…or will he return us to the Obama days, being content at having Russia and China the global leaders in space, gaining superiority over American innovation, reaping the economic potential, and threatening our national security.”
his is the end result of he O’Biden Administration because Joe will get ill and Kamala will step up, maybe Hillary gets to be VP long enough to take out Kamala with her HillBilly Cartel of assassins, then hill and bill get back in charge of USA and China takes us over and puts all of us who resist into our own FEMA camp under Mount Hayes, Alaska, which is rumored to have a 2 million bed capacity camp under that mountain. That is what I fear most about this fake administration
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